WSOR $10 million bridge program underway

The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad has started a $10 million plan to replace or repair 33 bridges systemwide within two years.

The upgrades will address immediate critical needs that are vital to keeping these bridges in service. This bridge program is essential to extending the useful life of these bridges and will result in enhancing the load-bearing capacity to 286,000 pounds.

The program will consist of repairs or replacement to bridges as long as 2,200 feet (Bridge B-256 over Wisconsin River at Spring Green) and as short as 15 feet (Bridge B-142 at Edgerton). While a majority of the bridge work will involve correcting existing conditions, some of the smaller span bridges will be completely removed and replaced with large capacity culverts. The corridors impacted by this work will include WSOR's Madison, Prairie, Waukesha and Fox Lake Subdivisions.

One bridge currently under construction is Bridge B-190 located on the Madison Subdivision in Madison, Wis., where conditions have prompted immediate replacement. This 112-foot long bridge has gone through years and years of timber pile decay causing extensive settling in a lake bed. Work scope includes complete replacement of existing structure with WSOR Standard Steel Trestle Design, capable of handling 286,000 loads.

"Upgrading our bridges system-wide is critical to providing safe and efficient rail service to our customers throughout Wisconsin and Illinois," stated Ken Lucht, manager of community development. "This project is an example of our long-term commitment to our infrastructure and to our valued customers who depend on the WSOR as their primary service provider," he added.

In June of 2012, WSOR awarded the contract to Lunda Construction in the amount of $773,900.00. The project is being financed jointly by WisDOT and the WSOR.